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New Castle tackle part of statewide stream of stars joining Lions Friday, July 23, 1999 By Mike White, Post-Gazette Sports Writer
HERSHEY -- New Castle offensive lineman Nick Marmo has made an oral commitment to Penn State. For real this time.
Marmo made the commitment yesterday to Penn State assistant coach Tom Bradley. A few months ago, Marmo had said he would commit to Penn State when Bradley visited New Castle a few days later. But when Bradley visited, Marmo changed his mind and decided to wait.
"I just wanted to think about it a little more and be sure," Marmo said.
Marmo said his father wanted him to give Pitt a serious look. Marmo did, making an unofficial visit to the school and attending the Panthers' camp in June. But he said all along Penn State was his No. 1 choice.
"My dad doesn't care where I go, as long as I'm happy," Marmo said.
Marmo (6 feet 5, 312 pounds) is considered one of the top offensive linemen in the state. Street and Smith's magazine ranks him among the top 10 offensive linemen in the country.
His decision gives Penn State 15 oral commitments. The Nittany Lions are cleaning up much of the top talent in Pennsylvania. A week ago, North Penn offensive lineman Chris McKelvy, one of the most heavily recruited players in the state, committed to Penn State. McKelvy said he had more than 40 scholarship offers, and he chose Penn State over Florida State and Nebraska.
"The deciding factor was Penn State's offensive line coach [Bill Kenney]," McKelvy said. "His style of coaching is almost identical to my high school coach [Mike Pettine Jr.]."
Two other top Eastern Pennsylvania players who recently committed to Penn State were linebacker Jesse Neumyer (6-13/4, 210) of Cumberland Valley and running back-defensive back Pete Gilmore (5-10, 205) of Wilson High in West Lawn.
Neumyer chose Penn State over Ohio State, Virginia, Boston College, Virginia Tech, Rutgers and Pitt. Notre Dame and Michigan also were interested.
"The familiarity of Penn State had something to do with it, I guess," Neumyer said. "I've been up there five times since my sophomore year."
Many colleges recruited Neumyer despite the fact he did not play last season because of a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee. But Neumyer said the knee is 100 percent, and he played the last half of basketball season to prove it.
"It was a big help for schools to see me in basketball," Neumyer said. "Notre Dame and Michigan wanted me to come to their camp before they would offer me [a scholarship], because they wanted to see what I could do, and I can understand that."
Neumyer has a 4.0 grade-point average and scored 1,240 on his SAT. Besides linebacker, he is slated to be Cumberland Valley's starting quarterback this season.
Gilmore chose Penn State over Pitt, Maryland, Rutgers and North Carolina State.
Manheim Central's Jeff Smoker, considered one of the top quarterbacks in the country, announced yesterday he will attend Michigan State. Smoker (6-3, 198) said one of the reasons he chose Michigan State was because he will have a good opportunity to play early in his career.
Smoker was recruited by colleges across the country, but had narrowed the field to Michigan State, Ohio State, Michigan, North Carolina and Kentucky.
Hazleton receiver Don Patrick, a first-team all-state selection as a junior, hopes to make a college decision within the next month, and Pitt is No. 1 on his list. Other Division I schools are interested in Patrick, but Pitt is the only one to offer a scholarship so far. Patrick (6-5, 195), who has caught 153 passes the past two seasons, plays in a run-and-shoot offense. Hazleton is coached by John Yaccino, the former coach at Penn-Trafford.
Mount Carmel quarterback-defensive back Nick Sebes plans to make his decision in the next two weeks, and his final four schools are Penn State, Virginia, Georgia and Stanford. Sebes (6-0, 180), the Associated Press Pennsylvania Player of the Year in the small school division (Class AA and A), is leaning to Virginia. The Cavaliers want him as a defensive back.
Freeport offensive lineman Jeremy McCorkle (6-7, 307) may make a decision before the season starts, and he has offers from Pitt, Syracuse, West Virginia and North Carolina, among others. McCorkle, though, is hoping Notre Dame, Penn State, Michigan or Ohio State comes up with an offer.
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Smoker to Michigan State